A Young Lady...A Thief...A Dancer...A Spy
by Shadow30
Summary: After the reign of JonathanIII and Thayet, Tortall hasn't changed much. However, the enemies at the borders are massing, and at the same time, a young, common girl finds herself homeless and an orpan. It isn't long before she is thrown into the middle.
1. Meet Leya-Revised

Disclaimer: Throughout this story: I do not own any characters that you may see or anything else that have appeared in Tamora Pierce's books!!!!!  
  
Author's Note: Hey all! This is my first fic., so, bear with me. This first chapter may seem a bit boring, but it'll get way more interesting, guaranteed! I have a lot of plans for it. R&R please! Constructive criticism welcome! O, and, here's a better summary:  
  
Summary: Years after the reign of King Jonathan III and Queen Thayet, Tortall has not changed much. However, the enemies at their borders are forming secret alliances; their goal: to see the downfall of the prosperous Tortall. They build bases where they can meet and create new creatures of destruction. At the same time, a young girl by the name of Leya, finds herself homeless and an orphan. So, she sets forth to the city of Corus and uses some of the money that she inherited to begin a new life.and soon enough, she finds herself both staging as a noble and a spy for Tortall.will she ever be able to bring her life under control???  
  
  
  
Leya sighed in contentment, glad for the rest away from all the bustle of midday. Leya's horse, a large black colt, ambled around nearby, lipping at the tender new shoots of grass that had appeared almost overnight. It was a rare time of peace, and the two were happy to seize the opportunity to come to the shaded grove. A brook babble through the center of the valley, its voice a soft whisper in the early springtime. The tree nearest it was a large, sweeping willow with branches and leaves that bent to touch the ground and send ripples through the water. A small, cove-like area was created near the trunk of the ancient tree, its veil of leaves and limbs able to shield the two inside it from view.  
  
Leya was an ordinary teenager of fourteen, just old enough to be working on the family farm. Her skin was dark from working out under the merciless glare of the sun. Various calluses dotted her hands from working with leather and farming tools. Golden eyes were set in a face of subtle beauty, with soft full lips, a stubborn chin, and a delicate nose. She kept her nails short so that it was easier the clean the dirt out from under them and they didn't break. She was about average height, closer to short than tall. Locks of dark brown, almost black, hair framed her face and brought out the color of her eyes to a distinguishing sharpness; however, her hair cascaded half-way down her back and was usually tangled and knotted. It took her forever to brush and clean it when she did. Usually she wore it in a horsetail to keep it out of her way, though usually two locks of it fell down to frame her face. Her slender figure was kept due to the work that kept her in shape and granted her strength as well.  
  
Yes, she may be a farmer's daughter, but a rich farmer's daughter. Her father's farm was the most prosperous in the land, with the most fertile soil and the best crops all year 'round except in the winter season. Her father's name was Theron, an unusual name that had come to be known to most. Her mother, Juliana, was a doctor of sorts, though not referred to as a doctor. She was a village healer, using methods that had been passed down from generation to generation of her family. It was rumored that Juliana had magical origin, but that would lead us in a completely different direction.  
  
Leya's colt was prized among the nobles, a horse of such grand magnificence, that even the King and Queen had offered to buy him (for their son, the Prince), offering an amount of money that most commoners would leap at. However, Leya herself had chosen this colt from a horse breeder that had been passing through the village one summer. He had been shunted and rejected till she took him into her care, and he prospered under Leya's careful guidance. When he had bought the horse, her father had promised that the colt was completely Leya's responsibility, and he would not involve himself in affairs concerning it, unless, of course, she asked for advice or a helping hand. He was special to Leya, and she would never give him up, even to the King and Queen. However, they kept their offer open, even when she told them she would not sell him.  
  
He was built like a runner, and ran like one too, having yet to be beaten, but he was also the best jumper in the land. He could easily sail over any obstacle set before him, and they had yet to discover the a height he could not bound effortlessly over.  
  
He was a black horse with a pure white star resting upon his forehead and a silken mane and tail. Slender limbs lead to solid hooves that did not require shoes, arching neck led to a head of pure elegance, tender nostril and dark, soulful eyes placed carefully on the sides of his head. Cupped ears swiveled in all directions, a horse with such a spirit that it can never be broken. In a way, he had chosen Leya to be his owner, fighting the control of almost anyone else to rode or tried to work with him. He was very partial to those few humans he chose to be his friends, and usually they were people that Leya favored as well. This incredible beast was dubbed 'Shamir', a name that was given only to those who were said to be so close to the gods they were almost gods themselves (though only Leya's villiage upheld this custom). The 'ir' on the end of a name was what represented this, and a horse such as Shamir deserved it above all others.  
  
"Hey, Dreamer Girl!" a voice shouted, shattering the quiet that had engulfed the land. Shamir whinnied in happiness outside the cover of the tree, his hoof beats heard when he cantered off to greet the newcomer.  
  
Grumbling to herself, Leya got up and pushed aside the veil of leaves to see who it was, gingerly stepping out into the sunshine. When she saw who it was, a grin spread over her face. "Hey!" she called back, running to catch up with Shamir.  
  
A boy sat mounted on chestnut horse with a flaming red mane and tail, waving to her. He was barefoot, wearing a white shirt and dark brown breeches, his black hair tousled from the wind. He was much taller then Leya, around two years older than her, about sixteen. His eyes were a deep, hypnotic green, as unusual as Leya's own golden ones. As she approached, he waved again. "Would you do me a favor, kind stranger," he teased, "and get this crazy horse away from me?" Leya glanced over at Shamir and rolled her eyes.  
  
Sham was prancing around the new horse, gingerly touching his muzzle to the newcomer's and then shying away. She smiled slightly and walked over to him, placing one hand on top of his nose and the other underneath, meeting his gaze squarely. "Stop acting like a silly colt, you know better!" Sham snorted softly, blowing hot air on Leya's wrists. She released him, and he stood still, as though waiting for her next command. "So, what do you want, Raphael?" Her attention had turned back to the boy.  
  
Raphael grinned. "I was wondering if you would accompany me to see the new foal over at the boarding barn, gentlelady. I hear he's a sight to see."  
  
Leya made a mental note to help her friend into the lake by shoving him next time they passed for calling her a "gentlelady". "Yeah, sure."  
  
She reached up and grabbed a handful of Sham's silky mane and swung up onto his broad back. Leya rode Sham without a saddle or bridle, for that was the way in which she had first trained him. He responded to gentle taps on the withers to direct him and a soft kick to make him move forward. "Race ya!" Leya called to her friend and asked Sham for a gallop. He responded with powerful, ground-eating strides, carrying her away from Raphael and his horse.  
  
"Cheater!" Raphael yelled at her back, kicking his horse, Bonfire, into a gallop, knowing he would never be able to catch the wonderful Shamir.  
  
  
  
A/N-Sooo.that's the first chapter.I'll have the second one up pretty quick here. Also, this may turn to a PG-13.maybe.and there will be some romance for sure in it later.for now, it's pretty PG. As you may have guessed, I'm a major horse lover, but I promise I will try not to get too carried away with the horse stuff. Read & Review plez! ttyl!  
  
Revised A/N-OK, I changed her description paragraph so she's hopefully not as perfect as she once was. What do ya'll think? If you see something that I missed where a reference is made to her perfection, let me know so I can change it! Read & review everyone! Let me know if she's still too perfect! 


	2. At The Stable

Disclaimer: Anything TP related is not mine! (obviously.)  
  
A/N: Too perfect huh? .* thinks *. well.she's not gonna be gifted.she's smart, but never been educated properly.she's gotta be a klutz at something but I'm not sure what it should be (suggestions on that are defidently welcome!!).OK.opinions on this plez:  
  
Should I--- re-write the description paragraph for her so she's less beautiful and perfect and stuff. leave it as it is.and try and bring in some weakness.(very difficult) just leave it I dunno.any other suggestions you might have.  
  
As for her height.lemme think on that one and then I'll tell you at the end of this chapter.kk? Thankies for all your suggestions and, thank-you Chibi- Chingo for being frank w/ me.o, and thankies everyone else for reviewing.I'm glad you like it! After I get my story better established, I'll post replies to everyone individually. O, one more thing.if I leave her beautiful, her weakness will need to be a fear.or something completely non-physical. OK, thanks again all! ttyl!  
  
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Leya reached the large stable first and stopped Sham, sliding off his back and leading him quietly into the barn. Quickly she checked him over, seeing that he was neither breathing hard from the run nor hot. She found a spare curry comb and a soft brush and went over him, hearing Bonfire's hoof beats in the courtyard as she picked up a cloth to go over Sham's already shinning coat with.  
  
Raphael walked in, Bonfire in tow, and seized the abandoned curry comb. After their horses had been cared for and put in extra stalls, they walked down the many aisles, looking for the new foal and his mother. The chatted amiably as they walked, about various things, from the horses to the weather. As they turned down one row, Leya saw movement and jerked her head around to stare down the row. A young girl was standing in front of one of the stalls, bright blue eyes looking at them with caution, reminding Leya of a young fawn who would scare at the slightest noise.  
  
"Hi," she called to the girl, wondering how she would react. "I don't think we've met, I'm Leya." She walked forward a few steps and held out a hand to the girl.  
  
The blue eyed girl stepped back, looking at the outstretched hand with suspicion. In one quick movement, she spun around, dirty blond hair flying, and ran.  
  
Raphael walked up behind Leya, dark eyebrows coming together in a frown. "Who's she?" "I have no idea, maybe Ethan hired her to work with the horses."  
  
Raphael let out an ungentlemanly snort, a laugh in his eyes. "Well she's certainly as skittish as one. Come on, let's find the old bugger and meet this new foal."  
  
It didn't take them long to find Ethan, a short, stocky man with black hair streaked with white. He was the owner of the barn and main caretaker of the horses. He had trained many a young foal, and was a magnificent horse breeder as well. Though he lacked good looks, his ways with horses had gained him respect from nobles and commoners alike.  
  
He smiled cheerfully at them when the approached, beckoning them to the stall he had just come out of. "It's a beauty alright, a young filly, bound to grow as strong as her dam and swift as her sire. Mayhap when she comes of age, she will present some competition to the King of the Wind," he said, using one of Shamir's many titles.  
  
Raphael looked into the stall and whistled approval. "You're right, she is lovely." He let himself into the stall to look over the filly. "How old is she?"  
  
"A month old today." the man said matter-o-factly.  
  
"Oh, so you didn't bother to tell anyone about her till today huh?" Raphael teased.  
  
"Ah, well, I wanted her to myself for a while, if you know what I mean."  
  
"Hey, Ethan," Leya began, "did you hire a helper? A young girl with blue eyes and blond hair?"  
  
Ethan looked at Leya surprised. "No, of course not, I have enough stable hands as it is. Why do you ask?"  
  
"There was some girl hanging around in one of the aisles when we were looking for you." Raphael informed him, rolling his eyes. "It was probably just someone who boards a horse here."  
  
"Oh yeah? Then why did she run? If she had a reason to be there, why would she have acted the way she did?" Leya challenged.  
  
"Maybe she's shy."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
Ethan glared at both of them. "If you would stop arguing then I could give you an answer, its my stable after all and I know everything that goes on in it." He turned gray-green eyes on Leya. "No, there is no girl who is working here, or even boarding a horse here to my knowledge. If there was a girl, then she was probably just admirin' the horses. Its no business of yours."  
  
Leya clucked her tongue in annoyance. "Touchy, touchy! You act as though I might have been hallucinating. I was just askin'. Besides, Raphael saw her too."  
  
Her friend rose an eyebrow, but continued to look over the filly. Ethan just shook his head. After a minute, Raphael let himself out of the stall. "Thanks Ethan, she's one to make you proud." Leya snorted, still annoyed with Ethan, and stalked over to the stall, peering over the door. Her golden eyes widened as she looked at the filly.  
  
The young foal stood confidently on strong, yet spindly, legs, watching Leya with chocolate brown eyes. Her coat was a dark ebony, her hooves still soft. Her small ears swiveled this way and that, small nostrils flaring at the scent of another human. If one didn't know better, you would swear that she was Shamir's sister, built along his lines and appearing just as defiant. Her eyes held a knowing look, as though she saw and remembered everything, just like Shamir.  
  
Leya looked back at Ethan. "What are you going to call her?" she whispered.  
  
Ethan frowned. "Well, I debated over many names for a while, and then one just came to me. It was "Mistir", but I cannot call her that until she proves herself worthy of such a name, as Shamir did. So, in the mean time, she's just Mist."  
  
Leya nodded dumbly, her mind still traveling over every perfect curve on the filly's body, trying to judge what skills she would have when she was older.  
  
After a moment of silence, Raphael smiled at Ethan. "Thanks, Ethan, we'll check in on you both," he nodded toward the filly, "every now and then. C'mon, star struck," he said to Leya.  
  
As soon as they were out of hearing range, Leya glared at Raphael. "You know perfectly well that that girl was not boarding a horse there."  
  
"Yeah, of course, I was just doing it to annoy you, m'lady," he replied mildly, ignoring her glare.  
  
"Is that your favorite pastime.annoying me?" Leya asked, exasperated.  
  
"Naturally."  
  
Leya rolled her eyes and got Sham out of his stall, mounting up to wait for Raphael to tack up Bonfire. They trotted down the main road, Appleblossom Road, each lost in thought for the moment. It was Raphael who spoke first. "I agree with your curiosity."  
  
Leya gave him a quizzical look. "My curiosity about what?"  
  
"About the stable girl. She was quite unusual, and she must be pretty sneaky if Ethan didn't know she was in his barn."  
  
Leya nodded. "I get the feeling there's more to her then blue eyes and blond hair and a love for horses, even though I don't even know who she is. I guess it's more the way she acted that was so strange."  
  
"How old do you think she is? I was thinking ten, maybe eleven."  
  
"Oh, so now you're interested in her age?" Leya shook her head. "I dunno, I think eleven is a better guess then ten."  
  
  
  
A/N-Height: 5'5 or a little taller for Leya.Raphael is a few inches taller. Just to tell ya'll, I just moved half-way across the world to Europe and we're still kinda getting settled in, so, I'm really really really really really sry if it takes me a while to post occasionally.  
  
If it's Leya's beauty that makes her too perfect, I can easily take care of that. If it's both Leya and her horse and are too perfect, then I can take care of both of them in one blow.could ya'll be a little more specific on what kind of perfect she is for me? R&R! I look forward to your opinions on what I should do to mar Leya's horrible perfection! 


	3. Abuse

Disclaimer: I own nothing TP related!!!! (obviously)  
  
A/N-OK, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy. Now you get to find out that Leya's life isn't as perfect as you might have once thought.  
  
  
  
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They reached Leya's farm, where she dismounted gracefully, and lead Sham into the barn, waving goodbye to Raphael. After she had checked her horse over, she put him in one of the fields to run around in, then ran inside to help her mother with the housework.  
  
Leya's house was large and quite lovely. There was a long, wooden deck on the outside that ran all the way around the house. Various rocking chairs and swings decorated it, each one carved by either her father or her brothers. There were stairs leading up onto the deck and to the door of the house. The house itself had a red roof and white walls, extremely simple and in desperate need of a new coat of paint. Once inside, the walls were adorned with ornate designs that Leya and her mother had painted when they had first moved in. A hallway ran through the middle of the house, connecting all the rooms. After entering through the front door, on the left you would find the kitchen, then the living room, another living room, and a storeroom, all running down the hallway. To the right, parallel to the rooms on the left, was the dining room, her father's study (which was rarely used), a guest bedroom, and a bathroom. In the basement they kept all the food stores that would be needed for the winter. The rest of the harvest was sold. At the end of the hall if you turned in a sharp U-turn, you would discover the stairs. They led up to an upper-story that consisted of six bedrooms and two bathrooms. On the left going down this hall was her parents' room, her oldest brother's room, and her second oldest brother's room. On the right were two empty rooms, then Leya's at the end (the smallest room.why they didn't give her one of the other, larger empty rooms she didn't know).  
  
The house was one of the largest in the village (if you didn't count the Hold), and the lands were not only the largest, but also the most fertile, as has been said before. Leya's family had only been living in it for a few years, but it already had that homey feeling to it.  
  
She found Juliana busting around the kitchen making dinner and knew immediately that it would be best to stay out of her mother's way. She ran silently up the steps and down a long hall to the end room on the right, her room, where she could finally have some privacy to practice.  
  
Quickly, she pulled a box out from under her bed and opened it. Inside lay a gleaming sword, five knives, and a bow (along with her quiver of arrows). Leya grinned and hefted the sword before testing the blade to make sure it hadn't become dull. Naturally, it was still in perfect condition. She chuckled in delight and went over to her window and opened it, checking to be sure there was no one outside on the deck before she jumped down onto it's roof. A roof covered the deck in an effort to keep the rain from falling on someone who happened to be out there when a storm hit. Leya used it to get out of the house un-noticed. She jumped down and ran around to the back of the house before she was seen. From there she ran to the far western side of her father's property to where the forest began.  
  
She wove quickly in and out of the trees, jumping logs and racing along the banks of streams before she finally reached a clearing in the woods. Here she stopped and paused to catch her breath before beginning her daily exercises with the sword. She was smooth and graceful with the sword, making it seem more like a beautiful, deadly dance, only stopping occasionally to correct a wrong hand position or stance. The fourteen-year- old girl was quite good, and knew it too. She had beaten Raphael multiple times, and they both knew he was skilled, for a knight passing through their village had once told him so. She could throw a knife better then anyone and demonstrated that she had both a perfect eye and aim for archery. However, these skills (with the exception of archery) were kept secret from her family and the village, for they believed not only that girls shouldn't fight, but also they could not allow her to wield a sword for the sole fact that Lords did not allow commoners were not allowed to learn the fighting arts for fear of a rebellion.  
  
After a while, she stopped, pleased with her practice. Looking up, Leya realized that it was getting dark. She picked up a run and hurried home, entering through the door and walking back up the steps with a cat's silence. She stored her sword away with her other fighting materials and turned to go downstairs to dinner. That was where her mistake lay. Standing in the doorway was her father, Theron.  
  
However profitable Theron may be, he had a horrible temper and tolerated nothing but obedience from his only daughter. Because he spent so much time in the fields working with her brothers, Leya didn't see very much of him except when the family met at meal times, and when she actually talked to him, it was usually to be scolded harshly.  
  
As she turned her golden eyes up to him, she winced, freezing in place, positive that he had seen her put away the sword. The fury reflected in his eyes scared her more then she could ever have imagined, and she began to fear the worst.  
  
"Do I really need to begin to explain what I have just seen to you, young lady?" Theron's voice was tight with anger.  
  
Leya swallowed. "N-no, sir."  
  
"You should know better, young lady! What is wrong with you? You should be downstairs helping your mother get supper ready, not playing with weapons! Bring me the sword!"  
  
Leya knew better then to answer. She turned slowly and dragged the box out from under her bed. Slowly, she held it out to him, running her fingers over the sword's hilt before she gave it to him, sure that it was the last time she would ever see it.  
  
Theron took the sword and glared at it, livid with rage. Silently, he set it down behind him in the hall without taking his eyes off Leya. He brought his arm back and advanced on her. She stared at him in shock. Was he really about to strike her? He had yelled and she occasionally thought he might like to strike her, but he never had. She shrank back, looking past him in hopes that her mother might come . not that that would change anything. It wasn't long before she felt the searing pain right across her face and found herself falling to the ground. The girl stayed down, hoping, praying that he would leave her alone. After a moment, he left. Leya waited till he had gone before lifting a tear-streaked face. Anger and confusion coursed through her till she began to wonder what punishment her mother would hand to her.  
  
Gingerly, she stepped outside her room, looking to where her father had set the sword down. 'Typical,' she thought, seeing that it was gone. Still, the reality that she would never see it again made her even angrier if it was possible. The anger lines that were revealed on her own face, as well as her tear-streaked cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, made her features marred and disoriented.  
  
She waited for a moment before heading down to supper. If anyone noticed the hot anger that radiated off her, they knew better then to mention it. Silence reigned as they ate, while Leya's mind wondered over various ways to get back at her father.  
  
Now, you may recall that her father had bought her Shamir and offered her help with him if she required it. What you might not have noticed is that there is a catch. Shamir was given to Leya to try and keep her out of the way. Knowing Leya's reluctance to ask for help or advice, Theron had hoped that she would simply stay out of the way and the horse would keep her occupied. Apparently, he was wrong. Though Shamir was fantastic and Leya loved him to death, he did not occupy all her time. She had enough free time to practice with the sword and knives, and became quite good with them.  
  
As dinner came to an end, Theron turned to Leya's mother, Juliana. "Juliana, you may now issue your punishment to your daughter." Juliana did not look at all surprised by this request and Leya assumed that her father had found time to inform her mother about the sword.  
  
Juliana fixed her daughter with a stern look. After a moment, she spoke, her voice soft. "You will go to the mountains and gather me some Rolip. I need at least three bunches of it. You leave in the morning at dawn." With that, they all rose and went about their chores.  
  
Leya went up to her room and slammed the door behind her, extremely ticked off. Now, she would have to make the long two day journey to the mountains and then find the Rolip, gather enough of it, then make the two-day trip back. To add onto all of this, Rolip is a particularly foul plant. It stinks to the high heavens and exceptionally hard to find and only grows in the mountains. A natural punishment; Leya should have known they would give her that chore. After thinking for a moment, she opened the window and slipped out again, heading toward Raphael's house just down the way.  
  
Once there, she slipped around to Raphael's window, which happened to be open. She was about to call him when something butted into her back. Turning around, she saw Bonfire looking at her expectantly. She grinned and reached over and rubbed his head, fishing around in her pocket for a carrot. After feeding it to a delighted Bonfire, she went back over too the window and whispered, "Hey! Raphael!"  
  
There was a rustle from behind her, something very non-horse-like. Leya whipped around and stared into the growing darkness, extremely annoyed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of something almost golden in color. Turning, she found herself staring straight at the girl from the barn. Leya's jaw almost dropped from shock and she barely managed to keep herself from crying out. By the time she had gotten over it, the girl was gone. Swiftly, Leya crept forward, adopting the silent step that she had practiced when she needed to get around her father. Looking around the corner, she saw no one.  
  
She did this same thing around each corner, and was about to turn back to the side with Raphael's window when an amused voice said behind her, "Chasing your tail or something?"  
  
Leya sprang a foot in the air before turning on a laughing Raphael. "Well I'm glad you think it's so funny, mister!" Raphael was having a very hard time catching his breath. Leya just stood there are glared till he finally got himself under control. "Remind me to push you off a mountain someday." Leya said nonchalantly.  
  
It was Raphael's turn to glare. "OK, what do you want?" Leya glanced down, then quickly looked back up again, hoping Raphael had missed the gesture. No such luck. "What's wrong?" He asked immediately, looking at her with growing concern. It was un-like her.  
  
"O, nothing, I only got caught putting my sword away, and Theron hit me, and my mom is making me go into the mountains tomorrow to get Rolip." Leya said in an annoyed tone.  
  
"Theron hit you?!" Leya nodded miserably. Raphael looked shocked.  
  
"Anyway, that's beside the point. I wanted to ask you if you would come with me to get the Rolip; I hate traveling alone."  
  
Raphael looked as though he wanted to pursue the fact that Theron had hit her, but judged against it. He shook his head when she mentioned hating traveling alone. He knew better then to believe that. She just wanted to be near someone who wouldn't hit her or act as though she was complete trash. This he could understand. "Yeah I'll go. When do we leave?"  
  
Leya looked relieved. "Tomorrow before dawn.meet me on the main road. My parents probably don't want you to come with me."  
  
Raphael nodded. "See you tomorrow then, and don't let Theron get you down too much; we'll talk about it tomorrow."  
  
Leya was about to protest, but Raphael had already vanished inside. She sighed and headed home, then cursed herself, realizing she hadn't asked Raphael about the stable girl.  
  
  
  
A/N---Whoa! Take a deep breath Larzdinn! lol! I completely agree with you about Shamir.I've been riding a Russian Cossack horse lately, so perfection kinda crept into my writing. I'll leave him, no problem. Also, I'll defidently go back and re-do the description paragraph. I don't think I'm gonna changer her eye color though because I think gold eyes are kinda neat; also, I myself have golden eyes; I mean, literally, yes, my eyes are gold. Kinda weird huh? I'll change a lot of the other stuff though, so don't worry, her perfection shall be lost! Right now I'm gonna go watch a movie, so I'll have to change it tomorrow, but I will change, I promise! Thanks for your opinions Larzdinn and everyone else too! Next chapter up soon! 


	4. War Plans--Part 1/3

Disclaimer: I do not own anything TP related!!! (obviously)  
  
A/N-OK, next chapter.enjoy! (not much else to say till the end; lol)  
  
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Leya was up long before dawn packing her saddlebags. Shamir could carry a lot, but she didn't want to overload him since he was still quite young. She slipped inside and had a quick breakfast that her mother provided without saying a word. Padding silently back up to her room, she removed her bow and quiver of arrows, then sat silently, staring at the knives. They wouldn't be much help to her, as she could only use them at long distances (A/N-she never learned to use the knives in close combat, she can only throw them). After a moment, she closed the box, though not before considering taking them as a form of rebellion toward her father.  
  
She jogged back downstairs and saddled Sham, leading him silently out of the barn. The black colt sensed his mistress' mood, so he refrained from his normal frisky (and annoying) tactics. Without a word or a backward glance, Leya swung up into the saddle and rode away.  
  
The second they were out of sight of the farm, Leya picked up a canter till she got to the main road. Before they were even in sight of the path, a shrill whinny split the air. Sham tilted his magnificent head back and answered with a whinny of his own, extending his stride slightly. There, by the side of the road, stood Raphael and Bonfire. Raphael grinned and waved while Bonfire pranced excitedly, waiting for his friend and fellow horse in the antics of mischief.  
  
Leya brought Sham to a graceful halt and called to Raphael. "Come on, stranger! We wanna be gone before the sun comes up!"  
  
Raphael jogged Bonfire till they were alongside their friends. "They sure wanted you out early, that's for sure."  
  
Leya smiled grimly. "Yeah, well, if I can't creep around the house and act as though I don't exist, they kick me out like this. More of an annoyance then anything." Raphael shook his head and decided once again to wait till later to find out more about exactly what had happened.  
  
The day came and went with amiable chatter and friendly jokes. Nothing of true importance occurred that first day, nor the next, for that matter. It was when they reached the mountains that anything happened.  
  
They climbed one of the smaller mountains, leading their horses most of the time so they didn't risk hurting them. They reached the top in the early morning of the third day and decided to camp there. The view took Leya's breath away, for though they weren't on the tallest mountain, this one still had enough height to reveal the lay of the country next to Tortall, Scanra. The rivers flowed through green plains, twisting their way down toward Tortall. The largest river ran through the center of her view, the River Forline. This river flowed from somewhere in Scanra to Corus in Tortall, where it served as the main water source for the people in the city. The sun reflected off the water, creating little flashes of light every now and then. It was a beautiful sight, with the cities in the distances and towns spread out to the right and left.  
  
After they were set up, Leya began to survey the mountain. "I'd better start looking for the Rolip Juliana wants."  
  
Raphael wrinkled his nose. "May I remind you that this is your chore; not mine!" He took care not to mention the fact that Leya was calling her mother by her first name.  
  
Leya glared at him. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be back in a minute then." She turned and trotted off, searching among the rocks for any sign of the little white flower. The sun rose and beat down without mercy on her skin, making her hot and sweaty. She tripped multiple times over rocks and various shrubs, but none was Rolip. She was becoming very cross and annoyed, when a very disagreeable scent reached her nose. She turned toward the scent and trotted in a direction that led her slightly downward toward Scanra. As the smell became stronger, she wrinkled her nose and tried to breathe more through her mouth to avoid the horrible odor. So intent was she on finding the plant, she didn't realize that she was nearly at the base of the mountain. . .  
  
  
  
After Leya left, Raphael had simply sat down to think. So far he hadn't asked Leya anything about the night when her father hit her. Silently, he laughed at himself for thinking of Theron as Leya's father. O yes, he was her father biologically, but he sure didn't act it. That man cared nothing for her, and her mother, Juliana, turned a blind eye to every misdeed done to Leya. Raphael wasn't sure if they treated her like this because she was the youngest or because she was female. From what he could figure out, Leya didn't see her brothers too much, so, in total, she had no one who really cared for her, except him.  
  
He sighed and shook his head. It was a brutal business. He would have to watch her when they got back, because he knew that she would undoubtedly find a way to keep him from knowing if Theron hit her again. That was just the way she was and it aggravated him that she wouldn't trust him completely. Theron couldn't be allowed to get away with this, but Raphael knew there was nothing he could do. He wanted more then anything to help his friend, but he was completely unable to. He sighed miserably, and Bonfire nickered reassurance from nearby, though he had no idea the predicament his master was in. After a moment more of reflection, he decided he would just have to talk to Leya about it when she got back.  
  
A flash of bright light jolted him out of his thoughts. He looked down toward Scanra, annoyed, automatically assuming that it had just been a reflection off the water. However, there, near a tree, stood at least ten people talking. To their right was the River Forline. He frowned and reached over and grabbed his spyglass out of one of Bonfire's packs that lay on the ground. Opening it and peering through it at the people, he made a startling realization. These people were carrying weapons! A breeze had caught one mans cloak, sending it fluttering around him for a moment and revealing the silver sword attached to his belt, which reflected the sunlight.  
  
'Weapons?' Raphael thought, 'In this place?' He glanced at their surroundings. There were a few towns in the distance, and the city, quite far off. This was not a place needed to carry weapons in. All the countries were experiencing a rare time of peace, and so it was unusual to see anyone openly carrying a sword. . . except knights of course. But what would ten knights be doing, standing in the middle of a field, talking to one another, instead of drinking and attending feasts in the city? It baffled Raphael to no end, at least, till he looked at their faces closer.  
  
Various knights would pass through their small town on their way to the boarders. They would stop to rest their horses and take a meal before continuing on the next day. Stories would be passed around, mostly of war. The knights always had a tale or two about the rulers of various countries, giving very detailed descriptions of them. He had always listened avidly, knowing that he would probably never see these people for himself. How wrong he was.  
  
As he looked at the group of rulers from Tortall's neighboring countries, he decided that the knights had exaggerated a little on their opinions, but, in general, they met the descriptions. There was the ruler of Carthak, as well as the rulers of Scanra, Tyra, Tusaine, the Copper Isles, Galla, Maren, and three others. As Raphael watched, he noticed that they were talking and making random gestures toward the river. After a moment, one of them held out a little bottle. From this distance, Raphael couldn't see what was inside it, but he knew almost right away that it couldn't be bad. One of the men took it (the leader of Tusaine, Raphael noticed) and unscrewed the lid. He held it over the river, said a few words to the nine leaders behind him, then dumped it into the river. After a few more minutes of talk, they broke up and traveled in different directions.  
  
Raphael sat there for quite some time, then noticed it was getting dark and started to make a fire. After a while, he became restless. Where was Leya? She should have been back before. He stood right at the edge of the firelight, straining his eyes for any sign of her. . .  
  
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A/N-OK! Thank-you everyone for reviewing! Believe me, I know about the perfectional stuff, and, I'm going to do everything I can to change it I promise. A lot about her is going to change, and I would have done it earlier if. . . my brother hadn't completely messed up our computer this morning so my dad had to take is apart (yes, apart, completely) ~*and*~ (you're never going to believe this one) I lost ~*all*~ of my files, so I have to go and copy and paste and do some other stuff before I can re- upload the first chapter with the changes to the description paragraph (believe me, she's gonna change ~*a lot*~). OK:  
  
Larzdinn-Yes, now I'm happy. . .LOL. About the weapon thing: she can do ~*no*~ I repeat ~*no*~ hand-to-hand combat what-so-ever. Also, she can only throw the knives, she can't use them for close combat. Do you think that'll work for being bad at one of the weapons? There's a lot more coming up! It'll get really interesting when they go to the city. O, and thank you so much for giving me a WHOLE day instead of just a few hours! Thankies! I think I can have the next chapter up in a couple of minutes since this is probably going to be a three part chapter. . .LOL (btw: I don't know if that's a word -*thinks*-)  
  
dragonladyknight-Thanks! I'm glad you like it so much!  
  
dragonqueen-I completely agree with you on her perfection. I will be changing it soon once I get my computer back together, promise! O, and the whole nobles marrying her is gonna go down the drain. I think I'm gonna have her father hate her for the sole fact that she's a girl and he is really into having sons and he's just a mean person. As for the TP characters. . .this takes place after Alanna's, Daine's, and Kel's time, sooooo, there probably won't be any mortal characters that are the same. There will be immortals, gods, goddesses, the countries, the castles, the cities, the holds, and maybe an appearance by Skysong. O, and btw: I LOVE Anne McCaffrey! She's such a good writer! I only just started reading her books, and I'm having a really hard time finding The White Dragon!  
  
Howler-Girl-13-Sham is going to stay the same and Leya is going to change. I'm going to be editing her description paragraph soon, so don't worry about that. Oh yeah! The title! It's gonna be shorter, I was just thinking about that too! Talk about ironic. Just gimme some time to think of a new one. . . it shouldn't take me that long! Glad you like it! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Galadriel Greenleaf-LOLOLOLOL I'm glad you like it!  
  
A/N-hmmm.there was something I was going to tell you, but now I forgot.hmmm.o well. This is probably going to be a three parter cause when I wrote it I realized it was going to get a little long.LOL. That's all for now I guess. Talk to ya'll later! Keep reading! Thanks for reviewing! For those of you who are reading this and not reviewing. . .well. . .plez review!! ttyl! 


	5. War Plans--Part 2/3

Disclaimer-Anything TP related is not mine!!! (obviously)  
  
A/N-OK, here's the second part of War Plans. It's a little short, but if I put this chapter and the next one together it will be too long. Well.enjoy!  
  
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The same flash that had distracted Raphael also caught Leya's attention as she was cutting the Rulip off the main plant. Her head jerked up, sending her tangled hair flying in disarray. What on earth? It was too bright to have been reflected from the river. It was now that she realized how close to the bottom of the mountain she was. After a moment, curiosity got the better of her. Once again, she adopted the silent step she had learned and crept down into the valley. The tall grass hid her from view as she picked up a cautious run toward the area in which she had seen the flash of light. Suddenly, she heard voices to her right. She crouched down and crept forward, parting some of the grass to see the sources of the voices.  
  
What she saw was ten men, all dressed to try and blend in with the normal people of this area, though she could see that the cloth was much to fine for them to be commoners. They were in a circle, so she could only see the faces of those on the far side. One man with dark hair and a scar running from his temple to his chin shifted position, drawing her attention to him. Strapped to his belt was a sword, and when he gestured toward the river she saw that he was wearing knives on his wrists. As she studied the other men, she saw that they too were wearing weaponry.  
  
As she tuned in to their conversation, she realized that they were still greeting each other. A movement to her left caused her to half-turn. There, crouching in the grass, was a young man dressed to blend in with his surroundings, except for a band around his upper arm that displayed the colors of the kindgom Carthak. He was well armed and seemed to be on the look out, watching the people by the tree and searching the area surrounding him. Leya quickly slipped out of view and began to scout the area. She soon found that there were nine others like him, only each one had the colors of another country. No two were the same. To Leya, they seemed to be almost ~*guarding*~ the people by the river. This scouting hadn't taken her very long, so when she returned to her post, careful to avoid the guards, she found that they had only just begun to discuss why they had gathered. They had also shifted around some so she could now see all their faces.  
  
She listened intently, and, to her shock, they addressed each other as 'King' or 'Emperor' or they called each other by the names of various countries. Suddenly, the full meaning of this dawned on her. They were the rulers of various countries, meeting here for no reason in particular. . . or so it seemed.  
  
"Carthak, did you bring it?" the man with the scar on his face asked in a harsh whisper. He wore the colors of Tusaine.  
  
"Yes, King Anton." The man who answered smiled slightly, but it was not a warm smile, it was one of a predator hunting its prey. He had sharp features and deeply tanned skin. His eyes were black as night and merciless. As an after thought, he added, "My name is not that of the country I rule. It is Emperor Coyan." This man wore the colors of Carthak  
  
"I think we would all like to see it, Coyan." A man with lighter, sandy hair and dark eyes said. He was shorter than the others, but the sneer that seemed stuck permanently on his face made him seem foreboding. On his arm in a band like those on the guards he wore the colors of Scanra.  
  
"All in good time, all in good time, King Zane." Emperor Coyan answered lazily.  
  
"We came here to dump it, and dump it we shall. If you don't mind, I'd like to get it done." This voice was soft and quite nice to listen to. Leya was startled and looked quickly at his facial features. His eyes were ice blue, and seemed almost kind, till you looked closer. There was a dark shadow that lurked deep within him, and someone who looked close enough could see it. His brown hair fell to his shoulders, and he appeared quite calm. This horrible king wore the colors of Tyra.  
  
"I agree with King Vaughn. What do you think King Nils?" A man with a rough voice said with a nod toward the man with the shadows in his eyes. He towered above the others and looked down on them. His large eyebrows made shadows dance around his eyes. His jaw was firmly set and created lines on his face. He was quite a heavily set man, but there was still something around his that seemed to whisper of danger. Running down one arm of his jacket were the colors of the Copper Isles.  
  
King Niles nodded agreement. He had a large nose that dominated his features other then the fact that his skin was a lighter shade than the others'. He wore the colors of Galla. "Emperor Salvetor and King Vaughn. King Tyrone. . . I believe you were the one who was going to dump it in."  
  
A man with many scars riddling his face held out a hand toward Emperor Coyan. This last man's armband displayed the colors of Maren. "Indeed I did." After a moment, Coyan pulled out a small bottle filled with a strange liquid. Leya looked at it, trying to figure out what it was. . . or at least what color it was! One second she was sure it was green and the next it seemed to be orange. . . wait, it was red! It shifted and constantly eluded her as she tried to grasp its color.  
  
"Just dump it in. . . we already discussed what effects it will have on the people of Corus."  
  
Leya stiffened at the mention of the capital of Tortall. The strange substance in the bottle made her uneasy, and she was sure that the liquid was some form of a poison.  
  
King Tyrone reached out and took it from the Emperor and unscrewed the cap. Without a word he crossed to the river and held the bottle over it. "Ah, the people of Corus might never survive." He said this right before he turned the bottle over and dumped the liquid into the water. It vanished from sight as it mixed with the water.  
  
There was a brief silence, then King Anton spoke. "We strike when they have been weakened. I will contact you all when I know the exact date of our attack."  
  
With that, they all separated and began to head in different directions. Leya heard the guards moving with them, but chose to say where she was. She was in a state of complete shock. Had she just overheard a plan to attack Tortall? It took her a minute to come out of her shocked state, and when she did, she took off like lightning toward the mountain, still cat-silent.  
  
When she reached the Rulip, she hacked off as much as she needed as quickly as she could and ran for their camp, so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the horrible smell coming from the dainty white flowers. It wasn't long before she became aware of the growing darkness and moved faster, not wanting to be caught on the mountainside when true night came along. . .  
  
  
  
A/N-Now you see how bad I am at making up names??? LOL. I actually wrote this chapter yesterday, but didn't put it up till today. . .don't ask me why. Anyway, I think that I will edit the third part before I put it up; but I should be able to get it up before the end of the day. . .so check back soon! Glad you like my story Amelia  
  
Thanks Larzdinn. . .I was kinda worried that I would have to change her a little more, but I guess at the moment Leya's OK. Ummm. . .exactly how big were those six chocolate chip cookies?? Do I even wanna know? LOL. O, and about the chapter speed. . .let's say when my brother deleted all my files I was soooo worried that I might not catch up with everything I had planned, so I went a little crazy and stayed on the computer for, like, five hours.plus, I have a chance to work on these things while you're asleep cause I'm stuck over here in Europe for the next two or three years! LOL. Thanks again for reviewing! *Sham and Bonfire whinny good-bye, Leya and Raphael wave, Shadow begins to wonder how many pounds of sugar Larzdinn consumes everyday! ttyl! 


	6. War Plans--Part 3/3

Disclaimer-I do not own anything TP related!!!(obviously)  
  
A/N-OK, here's the third part of the War Plans chapter. I decided to put this one up now because I can't wait to put up the next one. . .LOL  
  
  
  
By the time Leya reached the camp, Raphael was practically out of his mind with worry. The second he saw her, he ran forward and hugged her, yelling at her at the same time for being so late. "Where were you? Goddess knows what's roaming around on this mountain at night! You should know better than to say out for so long!" He kept going till Leya started laughing and he finally released her. It was then he noticed the scent of the flowers and wrinkled his nose. "Ugh! Don't bring those over here!" Leya grinned and jogged away from the camp and put the flowers under a bush where their scent wouldn't drift over to the camp.  
  
When she got back, they ate, both lost deep in thought. Raphael was wondering how to get Leya to talk about her father and Leya was thinking about the meeting of the Kings and Emperors. It wasn't until after they had cleaned up and doused the fire that Raphael decided to talk to her. He had first watch, and she had rolled her self up in her bedroll with her back to him. "Leya?" he asked softly.  
  
"What?" she asked sleepily.  
  
'Good,' Raphael thought to himself, 'she's tired. Maybe she'll talk easier now.' Out loud he said, "You never told me exactly what happened with your father."  
  
Leya was quiet for a moment. "I went out into the woods to practice with my sword. When I got back, like I said, he caught me putting it away. He made me give it to him, then he hit me and left, taking the sword with him. I assume he told Juliana about it while I was trying to compose myself." She was silent, reflecting, then she continued. "I was angry more than anything, and it made me really wish I knew hand to hand combat. . . ~*any*~ hand to hand combat would be good! Not that I would stand a chance against him." Her voice was full of disgust as she talked about it. "I was so angry, and I still am. Juliana wasn't any help, sending me to gather her precious Rulip. I really don't know my family; they're like strangers that I happened to be living with. If I had the opportunity, I'd leave in a split second. The only problem is that I don't have any place to go."  
  
Raphael thought about this. He had been pretty sure she would say something like this. He had sensed before that she wanted to leave them, but she had never said it outright. Now he knew for sure. After a minute, he shrugged. He himself lived with a group of strangers as well. He was an orphan and shared the house he lived in with three others. He considered himself lucky that he had enough money to get by. . . well, more then enough. . . apparently some aunt of his had just died and left all her money to him, and, if you add that to what his own family had left him, he was pretty well off. All of this, however, was beside the point.  
  
He heard her roll over and sat waiting for her to say something. "Did you see those men in the field today?"  
  
Raphael started at her question. After he recovered, he turned to face her. "Yeah, of course. I used my spy glass to look at them." Quickly he related to her what he had seen.  
  
Leya's golden eyes widened, though he could not see this through the darkness. She related to him everything that she had seen and heard, from the bottle of colorless liquid to the guards to the kings. When she was done, he stared at her like she was insane. "You mean to tell me that you snuck up on them and basically spied on them? Are you crazy? If they had caught you, they probably would have killed you!"  
  
"Basically that's what I did, and no, I'm not crazy."  
  
Raphael's mind was spinning, but he knew one thing was for sure. "Leya, we leave immediately in the morning. I only hope that that liquid doesn't do anything drastic in the next two days before we can alert the Lord and Lady of the Hold."  
  
  
  
In Corus in the castle, King Ryland sat in the war chamber with his advisors and the war leaders. The discussion was a grim one. There was reason to believe that the countries that surrounded Tortall were beginning to mass for war. Various reports had come in, speaking of large armies and increased weaponry making. Spies had been sent out to confirm the reports. The situation wasn't a good one. At least five other countries were preparing for war; how many others there were was not yet known.  
  
"You say that they may be working together?" the King asked.  
  
The current Duke of Naxen, Keith (A/N-remember that this is long after Alanna's, Daine's, and Kel's time.) nodded.  
  
The Lord of Golden Lake spoke. "They are massing, and there are reports of them working together. It would be wise to have confirmation that they are before we take action."  
  
The King thought about this for a moment. "Very well then." He gestured that they were dismissed, and they all left. Once they were gone, the King put his head in his hands. "All we need is confirmation so we have reason to launch an attack!" Little did he know that there were two people with the confirmation he wanted. . .  
  
  
  
The seriousness of the situation had dawned on both Raphael and Leya. Therefore, they were both tense and nervous the next two days as they traveled back to the village. Both Bonfire and Sham were extra good, sensing that something was terribly wrong. They made good time, but when they crested the last hill and the village came into view, they both stopped dead, each staring in terror at the scene that lay before them.  
  
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A/N-OK, that's the end of that chapter. The next one is my favorite so far. It is basically one scene, but it is told from all four travelers' point of view. Yes, that includes the horses. I probably like it so much cause it's a lot of fun to write from the horses' point of view. Sham is so arrogant. I think ya'll will like it. ttyl! If you are reading this and haven't reviewed. . .well. . .REVIEW! Feedback is diffidently appreciated! 


	7. Fire!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything TP related!!!  
  
A/N---*thinks*- hmmm. . .do ya'll deserve the next chapter??? -thinks some more- Well.I got six reviews.so OK.here's the next one. . .enjoy!  
  
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At first, it was so bright Leya couldn't see what was happening. However, once her eyes adjusted, the full shock of what she was seeing hit her. She glanced at Raphael. He too was staring in disbelief. Leya's golden eyes turned back to horrible scene. The village was on fire, completely on fire. Every now and then she could catch a glimpse of the remains of a blackened house or wagon. From the looks of it, the fire had only been going for a few hours.  
  
As she stared at the flames, her thoughts turned to people she had known. Ethan and the horses, her brothers (for they had never been unkind to her, only indifferent. They didn't deserve to die), the lady down the street with her two sweet children, the other teenagers Raphael lived with. It shocked her that she might actually care about some of these people and her village. It was the place she had lived all her life. She shook her head, disgusted that she actually cared. The movement dislodged the salty tears that had fallen onto her cheeks. She stared at the liquid in shock. When had she started crying?  
  
Another thought hit her. What if. . .what if some of those people were still alive? Trapped and needed help? She made the decision in a split second and kicked Shamir into a gallop. Without hesitation he ran toward a spot where the fire wasn't so high. In one swift movement, he sprang over the flames. Leya didn't once stop to think about how crazy she was asking her horse to gallop into the middle of a wildfire. Down the main street they ran, turning down road after road, searching for anyone who might have escaped. They found no one. It wasn't long before the heat and the smoke started getting to Leya. She gripped Sham's mane in her fingers and shook her head again, trying to clear it so she could think. Instead, she started to see black at the corners of her eyes. 'O wonderful,' she thought right before she passed out.  
  
  
  
Shamir halted at the top of the hill and looked down, his sensitive nostrils quivering as he took in the scent of smoke. Slowly, he took in the sight of the village on fire. He was not nearly as shocked as his mistress. To him, this was just another something that happens in life. . .to him fires were just part of nature, nothing special. He knew as well as any horse that you either fight or flee. A fire was simply something that couldn't be fought, so, he prepared himself to run at a moments notice, figuring that his mistress must at least know that you don't just stand in front of a fire.  
  
After a moment, he sensed something strange and knew that she was about to do something crazy. When she kicked him into a run, he easily extended his stride, seeing that they were heading toward the fire. In his eyes this was certainly a strange thing to do, but he trusted Leya. Heading toward a spot where he saw the flames were slightly lower, he steeled himself for the jump, and just at the critical moment, took off, flying through the air. He felt the heat of the flames on his belly, but ignored it and focused on landing safely on the other side.  
  
He landed at a run and accepted the instructions his mistress gave him, galloping a few strides down the main road before turning down a smaller one. Up and down various roads he ran, snorting at the scent of smoke that filled his nostrils and trying to keep his head low so he didn't have to breathe in so much. After about fifteen minutes of searching, she stopped him. Sham could sense her sitting deeper and harder in the saddle till he was supporting her dead weight on his back and she stopped giving him directions. He turned his majestic head this way and that, thinking to himself.  
  
It was a well-known fact of nature that humans are stupid creatures. Humans have no common sense or natural instincts. To a horse, they are just about a brain dead as a fly, only bigger. Horses only obey them because they felt sympathy for them and figure that they can lend these strange, almost hairless creatures some of their intelligence. Sham had picked Leya because he considered her somewhat smarter than most of them. Apparently, he had been wrong.  
  
If a horse could laugh, he would have. No creature in its right mind would run into the heart of a fire. It occurred to him that not only was his mistress crazy, but he was too. He was quite amused by this thought and decided it was time to bail her out of this situation she had gotten them into.  
  
He rose his velveteen muzzle to sky and released a high-pitched whistle, cupped auditives swiveling forward on his dark poll as he listened intently for Bonfire's reply. Bonfire answered Sham with a short, sharp whistle of his own. Sham turned in the direction the sound had come from and picked up a careful gallop, making sure to keep his mistress balanced.  
  
Ahead of him was the wall of fire he had to jump in order to get out of the flames. He prepared himself, muscles bunching under his sleek pelt of ebony, when out of the corner of his dark eye he saw something that shocked him slightly. The flames to his right had formed the shape of a horse with a mane and tail of fire. It was the horse god of fire, simply known as Wildfire. Sham considered stopping to pay his respects, but the god shook his large head as though he could read Sham's thoughts.  
  
Swiftly, Sham sprang out of the fire, a dark shape against the brightness of the flames, and trotted over to where Raphael and Bonfire were. Raphael had run over and taken Leya off Sham's back, which he was grateful for, as she was quite heavy. After a moment's thought, he decided to tell his friend about Wildfire later. Instead, he turned to Bonfire with a simple, 'Humans are so stupid.'  
  
Bonfire was clearly amused and answered, 'So are you.'  
  
Sham lashed out at the other horse playfully with a powerful hind leg. Bonfire jumped back, squealing in annoyed protest. Sham just snorted arrogantly and trotted over to the greenest patch of grass, figuring he deserved it after being so kind to his mistress. Since she was not awake to reward him, he would just have to reward himself.  
  
  
  
When Leya had taken off at a run, Raphael had yelled after her, but, apparently, neither Leya nor Sham heard him. He began to run over his options rapidly in his head of which there were two. He could either go after her or he could wait and hope she came back out. He made his choice in a split second and asked Bonfire for a gallop. The chestnut horse picked up a gallop, but it was more reluctant then Sham's. Seconds before Bonfire jumped, the flames flared higher, and Bonfire came to a rapid stop.  
  
Raphael cursed softly, annoyed at both himself and his horse. He glanced up and turned Bonfire so they were trotting along the perimeter of the fire. He looked long and hard to try and catch a glimpse of Leya. After a quarter of an hour, he started to wonder if she had even survived. His heart was sinking as he halted Bonfire and searched the flames. He saw nothing.  
  
Just then, a shrill whistle pierced the air. Bonfire's ears pricked forward as he listened. After a moment, he tossed his head in the air and answered with a whistle of his own. Raphael stared down at his horse. Was he talking to Sham? Maybe Bonfire was smarter then he gave him credit for. He waited for five more torturous minutes before a black shape appeared in the flickering flames of the fire.  
  
Raphael watched in wonder as the dark Shamir burst out of the flames, silken tresses fluttering in the soft breeze that he created when he sprang up into flight. He landed and trotted forward, obviously quite pleased with himself. Raphael had dismounted in a second and was over at the limp form of Leya.  
  
"Stupid, stupid!" he whispered to himself as he laid Leya down on the ground and checked her over. From what he could tell, she was OK; she'd just passed out from too breathing in too much smoke.  
  
He glanced up and watched as Sham resumed his usual antics, kicking at Bonfire and then trotting off to graze. Raphael watched his stride with a critical eye, making sure that nothing was wrong with Sham either. If Leya woke up and found something wrong with Shamir, Raphael knew that she would blame him for it and yell at him for not taking care of her horse. Ha! Like he was going to take care of the horse before he made sure she was fine. 'Yup, she's crazy.' he concluded.  
  
  
  
Bonfire had stared at the fire in silent wonder when he had first laid eyes on it. He'd never seen the true wild spirit of the fire unleashed; he'd only seen it captured in the little things humans called 'fireplaces'. The true power of the fire awed the young horse, and as he stared at it, he was delighted that this was the place his name had been derived from. It was fantastic, this awesome and incredible wild beast that ran before his eyes.  
  
The sound of hoofbeats snapped him out of his reverie and he half turned his head just in time to see Shamir jump through the flames and into the burning village. Raphael called out and Bonfire considered giving a whinny of his own to the pair, but decided they probably wouldn't hear him. He sensed Raphael tense up and stood silently. It wasn't long before he was asked to gallop. He did so, but somewhat reluctantly.  
  
True, the flames awed him, but part of awe is fear. He pushed this aside and decided it would be best if he listened to what his master asked of him. Right as he reached the flames and prepared to jump, the fire flared up higher than he could safely jump. He snorted softly, watching as the wall of flames grew taller by the second.  
  
He answered his master's requests and trotted along the perimeter of the fire, straining his own eyes for a glimpse of the dark shape he knew as Sham. After about fifteen minutes, his master brought him to a halt. Bonfire stopped willingly, wondering what it was that the god of fire had in store for his friend. The shrill whistle that pierced his thoughts startled him and he jerked his head up and listened. In a split second he had answered, whistling to show the direction Sham should go.  
  
After about five minutes, Sham's dark shape sprang over the flames and into view. Raphael practically jumped off Bonfire's back to get Leya. Sham turned to Bonfire with a simple, 'Humans are so stupid.'  
  
Bonfire was quite amused. He studied the slightly younger horse carefully, then decided not to tell him about Wildfire right now. 'So are you.' He answered.  
  
Sham lashed out at him playfully and he skittered to the side before settling down himself to eat some of the grass, watching Leya and wondering if she was all right. Apparently Raphael and Sham thought she was, so Bonfire relaxed and enjoyed the grass. . .  
  
A/N-Yes! That was my favorite chapter to write. I love writing from the horses' point of view. . .don't ask me why! In the next chapter you'll get to learn more about the blond haired, blue eyed girl from the stable. No, Larzdinn, I haven't written it yet, I just know what it's gonna be about. . .so it won't be up till later tonight or tomorrow.  
  
dragonqueen-No problem, glad you're liking it! yeah, the time thing is a little weird. . .when I first got here I was sooooo jet lagged. O, and yes. . .I HAVE to live in Europe. I'm being forced to against my own free will! It's neat over here. . .yeah, but you have to have a friend to actually have fun, and since school hasn't started, I don't have any friends over here yet (though I did meet this really cute boy on a tour. . .)  
  
Chibi-Chingo-if that's what ya wanna call cliché.  
  
Howler-Girl-13-Glad you like it!  
  
Galadriel Greenleaf-LOLOL yup, defidently an over active imagination. . .LOL  
  
Larzdinn-I know. . .I enjoy torturing you peoples (. I'm really glad you're enjoying it so far! Hmm.not much to say is there? I was just watching a TV show where there were these two girls singing really off key. . .I changed the channel. Opps. . .-looks down- caught! Yes I did watch some TV before I uploaded this. . .only like. . .-counts in head- five shows or so. . plez don't kill me!From the reviews you've posted so far, seeing you actually serious would really scare me! That just doesn't happen. . .I mean, Larzdinn. . .actually serious???! Kinda freaky thought there huh? Keep readin' & reviewin' and I'll keep writin'!  
  
JadeDragon2000--( I love torturing people! Glad you like it! There's the next chapter. . .hope you enjoyed!  
  
OK, that's everyone right? Well, I g2g. . .we're gonna go walk down the main street for dinner. . .I'll talk to ya'll in the next chapter. . .I hope that we get the chance to 


	8. The Girl

Disclaimer-I own nothing TP related!!!  
  
A/N-Here's the next chapter! I had to change Mist's age because she needed to be older for this chapter. I'll go back and change that in Chapter 2 later! Enjoy!  
  
¤------------------------¤  
  
\\.Before the fire.//  
  
Sophia couldn't sleep. She was restless and couldn't quite say why. Sitting up, she stretched and yawned, turning her sapphire blue eyes skyward. It was the dead of night and the only light in the sky came from the millions of stars. A slight smile crossed her facial features. Under the cover of darkness it would be easier to get into the stable.  
  
Quietly she stood up and picked up a slow trot toward Ethan's barn, eager to see the mare and her young foal. As she approached, she ducked behind a bush and scouted the area in front of the stable. She had learned early on that Ethan had a tendency to appear in the worst possible places. Seeing that there was no one, she jogged forward. Three strides from the entrance, Ethan rounded the corner. Sophie froze and prayed that the shadows hid her. Unfortunately, with her blond hair, it was quite likely that she would be discovered. Quickly she called on her Gift and sent it hurtling toward him, telling him to walk back the way he had come. It gave her just enough time to duck into the barn.  
  
Once inside, she breathed in the familiar scent and began walking down the main aisle. Sleepy horses whickered soft greetings before going back to sleep. Sophie padded along silently, turning down the third aisle on the right. The fifth stall down belonged to the mare and her filly.  
  
She unlocked the stall door and slipped in, speaking soft, reassuring words to both the mare and foal. They greeted her happily and she soon felt a small, velvet nose on her upper arm and a larger, warmer one on her head. She giggled delightedly and dug in her pockets for the carrots she had stolen earlier that day. She fed them to the grateful horses before curling up with the filly at her mother's feet. The two accepted her presence and didn't make a fuss.  
  
After a few minutes, she fell asleep next to the filly and didn't wake till an hour before dawn. She immediately sensed that something was extremely wrong. As she glanced around, she saw that the mare and filly were standing at the back of the stall, obviously worried about something. Swiftly and silently, she moved to the stall door, whispering to the horses that she would be right back.  
  
She jogged around the barn, searching for something unusual or out of place. There was nothing, but all the horses she passed were nervous. Some moved forward to her for reassurance. She stroked and soothed them as best she could, but nothing would convince them that everything was OK. Sophie was baffled as she exited the barn forty-five minutes later, turning her eyes to a sky streaked with soft light.  
  
Suddenly, a frown crossed her young features, for there, just barely visible on the horizon, was a small, moving dot. As she watched, it grew closer and closer. There, two wings, a large body. . .long neck. . .a large head. . . She froze. It was a dragon. She watched as it grew nearer, it's dark scales glittering in the early morning light, neck arched slightly so the large, head was angled so it had a good view of the land below.  
  
It was a magnificent sight indeed, but for some reason, Sophie felt fear. She had met dragons up close before, and had never once been afraid of one, but this one struck a deep fear in her heart. She heard a shrill whinny from behind her and whipped around. The horses with stalls facing outside had spotted the dragon. One was rearing in his stall, another was kicking at the walls.  
  
'Why are they so afraid? Why am -*I*- so afraid?'  
  
She looked up again and saw that the dragon was hovering right above the village. In the blink of an eye, it tucked its wings to its sides and dove like a hawk out of the sky, it's fore claws cupped holding fire. As the fire flew out of it's grasp, Sophie opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The fire had consumed one of the farms nearby. It wasn't long before the fire extended to the other buildings nearby. The dragon had risen and was dropping again, hurling fire at the buildings. The process was so silent that no one noticed it except Sophie. . .and those who were in the houses that were attacked. . .but for them, it was to late.  
  
'Is it going to destroy the whole city?' she wondered.  
  
She was about to yell a warning when a glint in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head and what she saw made her want to scream. There was a ring of fire, taller than she was, encircling the village. There was no way out! It had almost reached the woods, and once it did, the fire would completely take over and destroy everything in it's path, living or not.  
  
Sophie snapped out of her shocked-like state and ran for the stable, yelling for Ethan to come and help her. The man was outside in a second, glaring at the girl. Then, he saw the fires and the dragon and started opening stall doors and letting the horses out. There was no time to put blindfolds on the horses and lead them out, they just had to open the doors and hope the horses knew what to do.  
  
Sophie darted to the inside stalls and started opening them, nearly avoiding being trampled multiple times. She didn't stop to think about what she was doing, or her surroundings till an ember fell on her hand. She yelped and brushed it off, glancing around. The stable was on fire. She tore a piece of cloth from her skirt and tied it around her face, hoping to filter out some of the smoke. She ran to the few horses that she could still get to before turning to leave.  
  
It was then that a familiar young whinny reached her ears. She spun around and stared into the flames. Just visible from her position was the stall of the mare and filly. A wall of flames separated the girl from the two horses. Silently, she whispered a quick prayer to the Mother Goddess, and ran forward, jumping the flames. And she was through, felling a little hot, but alive nonetheless. Wasting no time, she ran to the stall door, flinging it open.  
  
The mare flew out of the stall, nearly knocking Sophie over. The foal was a little slower, and was much more careful avoiding Sophie. The girl ran after the foal, praying that the mare led them both to safety. No such luck. A creaking reached Sophie's ears, and she glanced up. Ahead of them, a timber from the roof had caught fire and was about to collapse.  
  
Sophie yelled, knowing that it was useless. The timber fell right on top of the mare. The horse let out a sound so much like a human scream that Sophie almost put her hands over her ears. The mare's death had been quick. The foal was frozen in place, staring at the spot her dam had just been. The poor filly was confused beyond belief, watching the burning wood that covered her mother.  
  
Sophie recovered quickly and ran over the foal, grabbing the halter that it still wore. She pulled on it with all her might. "Come on!" she whispered, speaking reassuring words.  
  
The chocolate brown eyes of the filly turned to the girl. She knew this girl. This girl was the one who had brought her treats and sometimes curled up with her to sleep. This person could be trusted. Having no other choice, the filly turned and began to jog after the girl.  
  
Down one aisle and up another Sophie ran, searching for a way out of the flaming building. The effects of the billowing black clouds of smoke were starting to show on her. She clenched her teeth and ran on, still tugging lightly on the filly's halter. Spots were showing in her vision as she turned down an aisle and saw an exit without flames licking at it. However, the timbers above it were about to give out. Sophie ran, and the filly ran too. Either they made it under or the white-hot timbers granted them the same death they had the mare.  
  
Sophie shut her eyes and ran, a cool wind swept over her sweat-streaked face as she burst out of the stable with the filly. Behind her she heard a crash as the timbers gave way and collapsed over the exit. Opening her eyes, she saw that though she had escaped the stable, she now had to escape the village.  
  
She let the filly's halter go, praying that the young horse would find her way out of the flames to safety. With that, Sophie turned and ran toward the street, hoping that it hadn't been consumed in flames as well. She heard soft hoofbeats behind her and turned. The filly was still following her. Sophie smiled and shrugged, secretly delighted that the filly trusted her that much.  
  
Together, foal and girl ran down street after street seeking an exit. Their situation was starting to look hopeless. Sophie's mind was racing as they discovered that there was no way out. She searched the area desperately, grabbing at shreds of ideas that crept into her mind. She was jerked out of her thoughts by the shrill whistle of a horse. The horse was nearby, and the whistle did not sound at all distressed.  
  
The young girl took off at a run in the direction the sound had come from, leaping over burning branches that littered the road. All this time, the filly followed silently, testing her legs over the strange, fiery jumps. She reached the main road just in time to see a dark shape turn a corner at a rapid pace.  
  
Even as she ran, Sophie knew that she would never be able to keep up. The filly flicked her ears forward at the young girl, watching her carefully. Sophie stopped and studied the filly more carefully. The filly was now nine months old, why they had kept her with her mother for so long Sophie didn't know. The filly was ready to be weaned and trained. She had lost all the fuzz from when she had truly been a small foal, and had easily adjusted to her long legs.  
  
There was only one way out of this mess, and Sophie knew that she was crazy to even try it. She walked over to the filly, whispering reassuring words, and rested her hands on the filly's strong, broad back. Carefully, she tested her weight; the filly flinched, but didn't move. Sophie took a deep breath and swung herself onto the young horse. The reaction was instantaneous. The filly kicked out her hind legs, then reared, protesting this new weight on her young back. Sophie was almost unseated, but managed to grab the long, flowing mane and hold on. 'I am crazy, I am crazy, I am crazy. . .' she thought, over and over to herself as she rode the wild horse.  
  
Eventually, the filly settled down again, accepting the weight, but still cautious. Sophie gave her a gentle squeeze, and the bucking and rearing resumed. The girl waited for it to end, then asked again. After a few tries, the filly got the idea. They worked on guiding and other speeds as they went. 'I'm insane. . .I'm absolutely insane. I'm training a horse in the middle of a fire. What is wrong with me? I don't even know how to train a horse!' she thought to herself, but a little part of her brain was telling her that it was because she was gambling on the filly's abilities. . .and she was desperate. After they had generally gotten the idea, she gave the horse a gentle kick. The speed the filly produced was explosive. They galloped down street after street, making faster, better time in searching for an exit, however, in the time it had taken to 'train' the filly, the fire had grown larger and fiercer. Once again their chances for escape were slim.  
  
After a while, the filly settled down and began to accept the commands instantaneously, even at this breakneck speed. From Sophie's point of view, there was only one thing to do. She halted the filly and turned her toward the wall of fire. This time she prayed to all the gods and goddesses in one short prayer before galloping the filly at the flames, shutting her eyes at the same time. The next thing she knew, they were in the air, and then on the other side. Slowly, she opened her eyes.  
  
Underneath her, the filly was dancing around, obviously pleased with herself, whinnying. As she looked back, Sophie saw the wall of fire, higher than ever. How they had gotten over or through, whichever they did, she didn't know. After a second of shock and wonder, she burst out laughing and tears of joy leaked out of her eyes. She was alive! It was more than she had expected.  
  
One question lingered in her mind; what was the dark shape she had seen? As she reached up and untied the cloth she had put around her nose and mouth, she thought this over. Dropping the blackened fabric to the ground, she looked around, trying to figure out where they had come out. There, to her right, was a party of four. One was a black horse. . .  
  
  
  
A/N-Hope ya'll enjoyed that chapter! I have a slight problem. I'm going on a trip tomorrow, and I won't be back till Tuesday, so this is the last chapter for a few days I think unless I can get up really early in the morning. . .and that's extremely hard for me! LOL. I'll try though.  
  
dragonqueen-Your Welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm also moving from a school I hated to a really neat school. I'm extremely happy about that. Then again, it really wouldn't have mattered if I'd stayed in the States because I was going into high school anyway. . .lol.  
  
Chibi-Chingo-LOL, thanks, I'm glad you think so. Yeah, I didn't mean it that way, I'm really sorry. . .it's hard to express tone of voice over the internet. . .I thought of it one way and then automatically assumed you would too. . .sry again. . .and yeah, I really value your opinion, so keep readin' and reviewin'! 


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